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Box Score
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Alex Hughes hit a grand slam,
Shaun Ball connected on a 3-run shot,
Kyle Nowlin hit a 2-run dinger and
Sean Hagen smacked a solo homer as Eastern beat Morehead State, 18-6, today. The Colonels clinched the series victory with the win.
With EKU (8-19, 4-7 OVC) trailing 2-0 and one out in the second inning, Hughes drove a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence with the bases loaded. The Colonels extended their lead to 6-2 in the sixth when Nowlin followed a lead-off single by
Doug Teegarden with another shot over the center field fence.
It was Hughes’ second home run of the season and the first grand slam by a Colonel this year. It was Nowlin’s first collegiate dinger.
A two-out RBI double by Drew Williams in the bottom of the sixth for Morehead State cut the lead to 6-3. Hagen’s solo shot in the seventh pushed the lead back to four for the Colonels. It was his second of the season. Ball scored later in the inning on an error for an 8-3 lead.
The Eagles (9-21, 4-10 OVC) attempted a comeback in the eighth. Bobby Lewis and Taylor Pickens drove in a run each with a pair of RBI singles. Pickens later scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 8-6, but that is as close as Morehead State would get.
Eastern Kentucky scored 10 runs in the top of the ninth to extinguish any hope of an Eagle comeback. After the first batter was retired, five straight Colonels reached base on four singles and a walk. Nowlin and Hughes each drove in a run with their base hits. A wild pitch allowed another runner to come home for an 11-6 lead before the second out was made. Hagen added a 2-run double, two batters before Ball sent the ball over the right center field fence for a 3-run home run and an 18-6 advantage.
MSU went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Hughes went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Hagen finished 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs. Ball was 3-for-4, scored four times and drove in three.
Bryan Soloman had two hits and three runs scored.
Ben Gullo (1-2) started and earned the win. He allowed three runs on nine hits over seven innings, walked one and struck out six. Gullo has started three times this season, all of which have been weekend starts, and has three quality starts.
Lewis finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored for Morehead State. Eagle starter Noah Smallwood (0-3) allowed six earned runs on nine hits in five and one-third innings.
The two teams will conclude their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
